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When did eating become such an all-or-nothing proposition? It seems that Americans are either gorging on gargantuan portions of unhealthy, highly processed foods and getting fatter all the time, or they're starving themselves on the latest hyper-restrictive diet that no one could stay on for more than a few weeks without feeling miserable and deprived. Whatever happened to just enjoying good food, in moderation, without guilt?If we buy into the common-sense wisdom found in books like the bestseller French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano, it's clear that the way to be thin and still have some joie with our meals is to adopt a more traditional, and worldly, way of dining. Moderate portions, fresh whole foods, relaxing and lingering with family and friends at the table -- it's what they do not just in France, but throughout the Mediterranean, Latin America and Asia. These are places where obesity rates have historically been low (at least until the global spread of fast food and sedentary lifestyles boosted obesity everywhere). It's where the "gym workout" was a bicycle ride to work or school, or where eating a low-fat diet meant Mom stretching the meat by stuffing cabbage or grape leaves. This reminds us that it is possible to eat what you love without feeling guilty, deprived or going on any restrictive regimen. Here's how:
Start with soup. This Japanese tradition is one of the best weight-loss strategies. That's because eating soup, particularly the broth-based vegetable kind, before your entrée fills you up so you eat less during the meal, explains Barbara Rolls, Guthrie professor of nutrition at Penn State University in University Park, and author of The Volumetrics Eating Plan (HarperCollins, 2005). A two-year French study of 2,188 men and 2,849 women found that those who ate soup five to six times a week were more likely to have BMIs below 23 (considered lean), compared with infrequent- or non-eaters whose BMIs tended to be in the 27 range.
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